A Primer on Wireless Technology and IoT Basics

Wireless Network refers to computer networks without wired connections wherein nodes communicate with each other using radio frequency connections. One of the key benefits of wireless networks is that they can be easily deployed anytime and anywhere for applications such as homes, industry automation, military, agriculture, business, etc. This chapter discusses the basics of wireless networks, followed by wireless network evolution, wireless network challenges, the type of wireless network, and how wireless networks are integrated with the Internet of Things (IoT).

A cellular network refers to a mobile network wherein nodes distributed across long distances communicate with each other using radio frequency connections. Cellular wireless networks divide large geographic areas into sections or cells, each served by at least one transceiver. In this chapter, various generations of cellular networks, 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G, in terms of their working, categories, and applications are discussed. Also, technologies that are used, especially in 3G and 4G cellular networks such as WCDMA and OFDM, are explained. 

Fixed Wireless Networks are used to establish communication between two fixed locations via radio link or some other wireless means. Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) is one of the popular Fixed Wireless Networks that can provide high-speed Internet access over wide area networks. WLAN can be configured into either infra-structured networks or an Ad hoc network. This chapter introduces WLAN technology based on the IEEE 802.11 standard. For wireless broadband services, IEEE 802.16 or WiMAX standards are introduced. Comparison of traditional wired networks with fixed wireless networks is also discussed based on important aspects such as speed, bandwidth, installation, cost, coverage, maintenance, etc. A sample use case that gives a basic idea about the creation of a Fixed Wireless Network is also illustrated.

Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET) is a category of Wireless Ad hoc Network. In MANET, topology keeps changing very frequently due to the mobility of nodes in the network. MANET faces a lot of challenges, such as the environment itself being decentralized, the medium being more error-prone, routing overhead, nodes operating with limited energy, and so on. There exist separate routing algorithms for Ad hoc networks, such as DSDV, DSR, AODV, CGSR, and WRP. VANET (Vehicular Ad hoc Network) is a special type of Intelligent Transport System (ITS), where the mobile nodes are cars, two-wheelers, trucks, buses, etc.

Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) or IEEE 802.15.4 standard defines the medium access control and physical layer specifications for low data rate wireless connectivity, interconnecting fixed or moving portable devices with low or no battery. A WPAN transmits data among devices such as laptops, smartphones, tablets, and personal digital assistants. IEEE 802.15.4 is a base on which several standards, such as ZigBee, Bluetooth, WSN, WISN, etc., are built and can be used based on various applications.

A Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is a category Network. As the name suggests, the nodes are capable of sensing. Sensing is a physical phenomenon that occurs around them. Sensor nodes of WSN can sense humidity, pressure, temperature, light, sound, vibration, color, etc. Sensor nodes have one main component called a sensor, and these sensor nodes collectively make a network known as WSN. WSN is one of the very popular networks due to diverse types of applications, such as tracking objects, healthcare, agriculture, space applications, and so on. WSN is a key formation of the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT and WSN have been very important components for building smart cities in recent years in our country as well as across the globe. In this chapter, the need for WSN, the building block of WSN, the next design of WSN, the application of WSN, etc., are discussed.

5G is one of the emerging cellular networks, which is the successor of the 4G cellular network. Even though 5G technology development started in the year 2010, its deployment started in the year 2019. In 2020, 5G was deployed in a full-fledged manner. 5G supports several applications, such as enhanced broadband, smart cities, vehicle-to-vehicle connectivity, etc. It uses one of the new technologies, MIMO. 5G and IoT are powerful combinations for connectivity. 5G technology has marked a transformative era in the realm of connectivity, promising speed, low latency, and enhanced network capability. The proliferation of IoT devices on 5G presents security challenges, as many devices lack security features.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network comprising things or objects that are assigned unique identities and connected to the Internet. As per the statistics, by 2030, there will be approximately 30 billion devices or things connected to the internet [1]. These networks not only connect things to the Internet but also allow them to communicate and exchange information with each other. To establish connectivity between the various devices and the Internet, IoT uses important protocols such as MQTT, 6LowPAN, Bluetooth, RFID, ZigBee, CoAP, etc. IoT is useful in all types of applications, such as healthcare monitoring, agricultural domains, mining, and space applications. IoT real-life application generates a large volume of data, which is analogous to Big Data, which needs to be processed, stored, and analyzed to extract useful information. IoT is shaping the way we live our lives.

 6G is the successor of the 5G cellular network. It is one of the ongoing research areas whose deployment started recently. It makes use of different potential technologies and Terahertz communication. There are a lot of research opportunities in 6G as it is still in the implementation stage. The architecture of 6G is wider. This means the architecture of Terahertz communication covers space, air, ground, and underwater networks, and all segments of the communication network come together and work under the same umbrella, framing ubiquitous connectivity. Potential 6G technology includes 6G with full integration of AI with big data analytics, novel radio access technology, Super Massive MIMO, and quantum computing. The targetted fullfledged deployment of 6G is expected or ITM (International Mobile Telecommunication) by 2030.